Eternity
by Alistanniel
Summary: Prequel to "One Day will be the Last". Carmen finds out she is pregnant. But then the doc makes a very bad diagnosis. Sad story.


_Story: this fic is a prequel to "One Day will be the Last"   
Disclaimer: the characters belong to DIC_

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**Eternity**   
  
_by Alistanniel_

  
  
  
When Carmen left the doctor's office happiness was written onto her face. Her all-morning nausea was caused in pregnancy. While she walked along the street she thought of this may be a new beginning. Her life as master thief and chief of VILE gave her the challenge she needed, but the prize she had to pay was loneliness. The feeling threatened to overwhelm her. She longed for some stability. To stay long enough at the same place to feel at home. When she lay in bed at night and starred at the ceiling she often tried to imagine how it would be to have someone who understood her, someone who loved her.   
Nearly two months ago she met that businessman from Australia called Ruben in a small sticky bar. She was sipping a drink, when he walked towards her.   
"Why on earth is such a beautiful woman alone?" he asked.   
She looked up to him. "Maybe she had not found the right one yet", was her answer.   
"Can I have a sit?" He pointed at the chair next to her.   
"Of course."   
"Thank you. I'm Ruben. What is your name?"   
"Elena."   
"A beautiful name, for a beautiful lady."   
After having some drinks they walked through the nightly village and talked half the night. Later they went on to Ruben's hotel room.   
In the early morning Carmen woke up. Next to her she could hear Ruben's deep breathing. She quickly got dressed and wrote a short message to him, before she left the room.   
  
_Sorry, this shouldn't have happened.   
Elena_   
  
Later this day she felt bad, because of having left without a goodbye. But she knew that Ruben was sitting in his plane by this time and they will never meet again.   
  
Life went on for Carmen. She did what she had to do. After having stolen an ancient Celt sword the detectives chased her trough half of Ireland. And this was her last crime before she discovered she was pregnant. Now had to give up stealing for not to put her unborn in danger.   
Carmen felt happier than anytime before in her life. She was looking forward to holding her child in her arms for the first time. But there was one question that didn't get out of her mind. Could a master thief be a good mother? The only thing she knew was that some changes must happen. Firstly she needed a home for her and the baby. Her restless life belonged to the past. What she found was a small apartment in a village nearby San Francisco.   
As the days and weeks passed Carmen started to feel the new life inside her. By the end of the fifth month her belly began to grow. Sometimes it was difficult for her to accept that VILE was none of her business any more. She's gone of the throne and decided that she want some more from life, not just being a restless thief chased around the world by the ACME detectives.   
_'Zack, Ivy and the Chief certainly wonder where I've gone', she thought with a knowing smile._   
  
Today she started painting the walls of the baby's room. She liked that pale orange color very much. It looked so friendly. By the evening she had already done half of the room. The other half is going to follow the next day. She left the color tub inside when she headed for the kitchen and began looking for some chocolate. Just an hour before she had eaten a fruit yogurt and a half can of baked beans. When she took the first bite of the hazelnut chocolate she smiled of her strange eating habits. Beside this typically for pregnant women behavior she felt tired and had a headache.   
Next day she continued painting. The headache has gone worse, but she reduced it to the color's chemic steam. When she came in the room with a full tub she got a dizzy spell. For a moment dark spots where dancing in front of her eyes. As she grabbed the doorframe the color tub fell down. After a few seconds it was over and she felt better. Thank God that the tub was still closed.   
The following days she had further dizzy spells and the headache got worse. She decided to wait one or two weeks, whether it went away by itself. But didn't. And after two weeks and a half she went to the doctor. When she knew that the baby was well, she would feel better immediately.   
The doctor, an elderly woman named Charlene Brenner, quickly made her checkup.   
"The baby is well. Your nausea is not caused in the pregnancy", she said.   
Carmen sighted relieved, "Thank God. But what is it then?"   
"I think it is caused in the brain, but I need to make more tests, before I can tell it precisely."   
She made her tests and told Carmen she will call her when she had the result. Meanwhile she gave her some pills against the dizzy spells.   
  
Three days later Charlene called her. Her voice didn't sound good, when she told Carmen to come to her office.   
"Ah, Ms. Contez. Have a seat", she said pointing at a chair when Carmen went in.   
"Thank you."   
After a moment of silence the older woman continued, "I'm terribly sorry, but I have bad news for you", she paused, "you got a cerebral tumor that is unfortunately malignant. The headaches and dizzy spells are because it started to press on the brain."   
Carmen gave her a shocked look, "Malignant? And what happens now?"   
"Honestly, I don't really know. Its location makes it impossible to operate. And chemotherapy is no way while pregnancy. The radiation could harm the baby."   
"What do you exactly want to tell me?"   
"I'm so sorry. But you are going to die. According to the momentary growing rate of the tumor you have about five months."   
  
Carmen was unable to say anything. Her eyes got wet when the full truth reached her mind. She murmured a goodbye and left the doctor's office quickly.   
  
When she arrived at home she was completely distraught in tears. A single thought pounded in her head. What will happen with her child when she dies? Would it be damned to live the same kind of life she did? Grow up at an orphanage. Lone all the time. Never know what a real family is?   
Two more months until birth. And then? She didn't know.   
  


_I thought I had all eternity   
to live my dreams and hopes.   
But I was mistaken.   
I can see eternity's end   
in front of me   
as it was marked on a calendar.   
The only thing   
that is left for me   
is to count the remaining days.   
  
I thought I had all eternity   
to spend with my little angel.   
But the time that is left   
is barely enough   
to get to know each other.   
The hallo becomes   
a goodbye.   
And I ask why   
fate can be so cruel.   
  
Why?   
I thought I had all eternity._

  
  
Carmen felt the baby's moves. It kicked, as it wanted to say, hey, are you all right out there? Normally she talked with the child then. But now she couldn't say anything. Tears covered her eyes again.   
  
She tried her best to go on with her life. As time passed it became easier. Then she reached a point where she finally accepted it. This time she was not chased by the ACME detectives, but by her fate. And there was no way to escape it.   
  
When Carmen woke up from anesthesia she had a dull feeling in her abdomen. Because she was weak of the decease she gave birth to her child by Caesarian section.   
In front of her a nurse's face appeared, "Ah, you are awake, good. How do you fell?"   
"Weak", she said with a low voice.   
The nurse smiled, "I guess there is someone who'd like to say hallo."   
Just now Carmen noticed a crib where the nurse was standing. As she took out the baby it began to cry.   
"Congratulations. You got a beautiful daughter." She placed the newborn in Carmen' arms and smiled once more, before she left the room.   
  
Carmen looked into her baby's face feeling simply happy. Her little daughter calmed down, watched her from her deep blue eyes. Only one word came over Carmen's lips.   
"Esperanza." The Spanish word for hope. "Welcome in life, my little angel."   
The baby babbled. Its mouth found the right way to Carmen's breasts trying to get some milk. She smiled and opened her shirt. And little Esperanza started to drink immediately. As she felt the baby's sucking she closed her eyes.   
  


_I thought I had all eternity   
to get lost in your deep blue eyes   
to watch your broad smiling face.   
But the only truth is   
it ends as quickly as it began.   
And I ask why   
fate is so cruel to you and me.   
  
Why?   
I thought I had all eternity._


End file.
